> My question is this: is there a way to scan the disk, testing for bad
> or weak spots, then force the drive to map them out, after NetBSD is
> installed.

There exists something called sdd, the SCSI Disk Doctor as I recall,
that (among other things) can do surface-analysis passes and block
remapping.

I've got copies of versions 0.1 and 0.2 lying around.  I think they're
redistributable; if anyone is interested I'll be happy to check and see.

> Or, perhaps it is necessary to low level format on non-sparc
> hardware.

For SCSI drives, the hardware of the host makes little difference; it's
the commands coming down the SCSI bus that matter.  Whether the machine
sending them is made by Sun or Compaq or Apple or what have you matters
little.

sdd is supposedly capable of doing Format Unit commands.  I think I
tried it once and I think it appeared to work, even....

					der Mouse

			       mouse@rodents.montreal.qc.ca
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